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Elemental data from travertines are a treasure of depositional and diagenetic information. However, correct interpretation requires proper data acquisition and treatment. This study shows how results from elemental analyses complement sedimentological and other geochemical, i.e. isotopic, data and thereby contribute to our understanding of fossil travertines. Multivariate statistical element analyses, after multiple travertine digestion methods, demonstrate the link between elements, their mineralogical phases, and ultimately their origin. This study reveals that carbonate-phase related elements in travertines (Sr, S, Ba, Mg and Na) originate dominantly from the fluid source rocks. In combination with the δ18O and δ13C signatures, they are thus key geochemical variables for comparison of different travertine geobodies. Geochemical data analysis (elemental concentrations and isotope signatures), as illustrated here for the Turkish Ballık travertines, supports interpretation with regard to fluid source rock, distance from the vent and relative intensity of processes like evaporation and degassing. For fossil travertines, geochemical data can thus provide crucial insights for understanding the hydrologic system. In particular when information is restricted to borehole data, like in subsurface reservoirs, their application could be decisive. © 2019 Elsevier B.V.

Carbonate spring deposits gained renewed interest as potential contributors to subsurface reservoirs and as continental archives of environmental changes. In contrast to their fabrics, petrophysical characteristics – and especially the importance of microporosity (< 1µm) – are less understood. This study presents the combination of advanced petrophysical and imaging techniques to investigate the pore network characteristics of three, common and widespread spring carbonate facies, as exposed in the Pleistocene Cakmak quarry (Denizli, Turkey): the extended Pond, the dipping crystalline Proximal Slope Facies and the draping Apron and Channel Facies deposits formed by encrustation of biological substrate. Integrating mercury injection capillary pressure, bulk and diffusion Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), NMR profiling and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) measurements with microscopy and micro-computer tomography (µ-CT), shows that NMR T 2 distributions systematically display a single group of micro-sized pore bodies, making up between 6 and 33% of the pore space (average NMR T 2 cut-off value: 62 ms). Micropore bodies are systematically located within cloudy crystal cores of granular and dendritic crystal textures in all facies. The investigated properties therefore do not reveal differences in micropore size or shape with respect to more or less biology-associated facies. The pore network of the travertine facies is distinctive in terms of (i) the percentage of microporosity, (ii) the connectivity of micropores with meso- to macropores, and (ii) the degree of heterogeneity at micro- and macroscale. Results show that an approach involving different NMR experiments provided the most complete view on the 3-D pore network especially when microporosity and connectivity are of interest. © 2016. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.

The Denizli Basin in the West Anatolian Extensional Province in western Turkey is well-known for its numerous travertine occurrences. A combined sedimentological, diagenetic and geochemical investigation is executed on the Ece and Faber travertines of the Ballık area, the largest travertine site in the Denizli Basin. The first aim of this study is the reconstruction of a three-dimensional geo-model in combination with a detailed sedimentological description from fabric to lithotype, lithofacies and geobody scale, with a focus on integrating pore-typing. The second aim involves the delineation of the CO2-origin of ancient travertine precipitating waters. Peloidal, phyto and dendritic lithotypes dominate the studied travertines and honeycomb and bacteriform shapes and encrusted bacterial or fungal filaments related to their fabrics suggest a microbial influence. The environment of travertine precipitation evolved from dominantly sub-aqueous, as represented by the sub-horizontal and biostromal reed travertine facies, to dominantly sub-aerial in a thin water film, resulting in the cascade, waterfall and biohermal reed travertine facies. A general progradation of the travertine mound is indicated by the occurrence of stacked waterfall travertines. This results in sigmoidal clinoforms inside a general mound boundary configuration. Strontium and oxygen-carbon isotope signatures of the travertines point to a mixing mechanism of palaeofluids with deeply originated, heavy carbon CO2 with lighter carbon CO2 of shallow origin. These deposits can thus be considered as endogenic travertines. Carbonates of the Lycian Nappes acted as main parent carbon source rocks. The relative contribution of the lighter carbon isotopes is most likely to have originated from organic matter or soil CO2. This study provides a unique three-dimensional insight into the Ballık travertine architecture that potentially can be used as an analogue for subsurface travertine reservoirs worldwide and illustrates the importance of the combined use of δ13C and 87Sr/86Sr signatures in the delineation of the CO2-origin of travertine precipitating waters. © 2015 The Authors. Sedimentology and 2015 International Association of Sedimentologists.